Toll-posting machine



Oct. 1, 1929. H. A. FOOTHORAP TOLL POSTING MACHINE Filed May 14, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 1, 1929. H. A. FOOTHORAP TOLL POSTING MACHINE Filed May 14, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1929. v ,H. A. FOOTHORAP 1,729,771

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Patented Oct. 1, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY A. FOOTHORAP, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ELLIOTT- FISHER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE TOLL-POSTING- MACHINE Application filed May 14, 1925.

This invention relates to a toll posting machine, including what is known as a fiat platen typewriter.

The object of the invention is to equip a machine of this character with means fac1l1- tating the rapid manipulation of successive toll slips, the manipulation of the prlntmg mechanism whereby the slips are posted and the delivery and storage of the posted shps.

To the accomplishment of this general object and others subordinate thereto, a pre ferred embodiment of the invention resides in the structure to be described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and designated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the machine with certain of the parts omitted and others broken away.

Figure 1 is a similar View showing the platen depressed.

Figure 2 is a side elevation with the parts broken away from the line and letter space carriages.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional elevation of a portion of the line spacing mechanism.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the line spacing and carriage holding mechanism released.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of a portion of the machine.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the platen and hopper.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan View of the sub- 5 ject-matter of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detailed view.

In its general assemblage the machine here illustrated is what is known as an Elliott- Fisher billing machine, which, as usual, com- .40 prises a carriage 1 upon which the printing mechanism, not shown, is mounted, a line space frame 2 on which the carriage is movable transversely for'letter spacing, a platen frame 3 longitudinally of which the frame 2 moves for line spacing and a flat platen 4 which supports the work sheet in flat, spread out condition, to be written upon by the print ing mechanism.

The platen frame 3 is a rectangular metal v structure clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7,

Serial No. 30,267.

the side members of which are surmounted by guides 5 for the line space frame, and racks 6 which are engaged byline space gears 7, associated with roller bearings 8 on a line space shaft 9 journaled in suitable bearings 10 at the rear of the line space frame 2. The gears 7 and rollers 8 are fixed to the shaft 9, which is also provided with a pair of circular line space ratchets 11 and a holding ratchet 12. The ratchets 11 are engaged by feed pawls 13 carried by the side arms 14 of a line space yoke 15, which is a novel element of this structure and extends upwardly behind the carriage 1 over which it may be easily reached and operated by the operator.

Co-acting with the holding ratchet 12 are holding pawls 16 mounted on the frame and serving to hold the line space frame 2 in opposition to a pair of spring drums 17 connected by tapes 18 to lugs 19 depending from the frame 2. The drums 17 exert a constant tension tending to retract rearwardly the writing machine structure embracing the line and letter space carriages, the printing mechanism and the various ancillary devices of the flat platen typewriter.

The machine may be freely drawn to the printing position by the operator and when a line has been written the machine may be spaced forward by swinging the yoke 15 forwardly, the feed pawls 13 engaging the ratchets 11 and advancing the machine one line space where it is held by the holding pawls 16. The yoke 15 may be retracted in any suitable manner as by retracting springs 20.

When a toll slip has been written it is intended that the operator shall instantly release the machine or head as it is known in the art, to permit its retraction by the power barrels 17. This release is effected by a release key 21 carried by a release lever 22 fulcrumed in the carriage 1 and provided with a latch 23 by which the key will be held depressed against the tendency exerted by a retracting spring 2d to return the release key to normal position. Adjacent to its rear end the lever 22 is connected by a draw wire 25 with a release rocker 26 which is in eflect a rock shaft journaled on the carriage 1 at the lower rear corner thereof (see Figure 2), and

having-oppositely extending arms 27 and 28, the latter of which is connected to the draw wire 25. The arm 27 extends rearwardly and r the feed pawls in a manner well understood in the art.

It will now be seen that when a toll slip has been posted, the operator, by depressing the release key 21, will release the machine and manipulation of the toll slip.

permit its retraction to the rear of the printing areawhich is therefore accessible for the This movement of the machine may be facilitated by pressing rearward on the yoke since the rearward movement of the latter is limited by the stops 33 and the force thus applied to the yoke will therefore augment the pull of the spring drums if desirable.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1, 6, and 7, it will be noted that in the I present construction the platen frame 3 is divided into front and rear sections by a i a. roller 38 carried by a roller bracket 39 piv oted on the front bar of the platen frame and urged toward the platen by a spring 40. This.

transverse bar 34 along the upper edge of which extends a work clamp 35.. This clamp overlies the rear edge of a flat platen 36 mounted within the front section of the platen frame and provided with the usual.

rubber facing 37. The platen is intended as a support for the work sheet and is depressible'. from the writing plane shown in full lines in Figure 1 to the dropped or depressed position shown in Figure 1 The front end of the platen is supported by spring urged roller 38 is preferably mounted at. the centerof the front edge ofv the platen as shown in Figure 7. At its rear end the platen 36 is supported from a rock shaft 41 1 extended across the frame 3 and having a pair of arms 42, the free ends of which ex tend between pins 43 carried by brackets 44, depending from the platen and associated" with a pendant yoke 45, connected as by a. chain 46 with a pedal or other platen de- A pair of strong springs.

pressing device. 7 47 are connected to the front bar of the frame 2 and to headed screws 48 which serve both as securing devices for the arms 42 and as points of attachment for the springs 47. Thesesprings tend to rock the shaft 41 for the purpose of elevating the arms 42 and the platen 36 connected therewith. The platen,

is therefore strongly but yieldingly held in the writing plane with its rear edge against the underside of theclamp 35. The result of this is that any work sheet imposed upon the platen and extended under the clamp will be securelyheld at its rear edge.

The present structure, however, is specifically designed for the posting of toll slips 49 (see Figure 6). These slips are of comparatively small size and of comparatively thin material. To facilitate the positioning of a slip 011 the platen an angular work guide 50 is secured to the platen in position to engage and accurately locate the front edge and corners of the slip. It is also desired that when the slip has been postedit may be quickly ejected from its printing position on the platen and received by a storage hopper 51, carried by the platen frame3, and held below the same.

through which the bill maybe ejected by an ejector 53. The ejector 53 is in the form of a projection upstanding from an ejecting lever 54, pivoted at 55 to the underside of the platen and provided at its opposite end with a handle 56 extending upwardly through a slot 57' in the platen, and bent over to an unobstructive but readily accessible position.

The transverse frame bar, 34 is therefore formed with a throat 52' The ejector lever 54 is urged rearwardly by r a spring 58 after the lever has been drawn forward and then released by the operator. The ejector 53 normally occupies a position in alignment with the rear edge of the guide 50 so that it assists in locating the toll sli It has been found, however, that the e ective ejectmeut of the slip47 necessitates the rearward movement of the ejector beyond its normal position when snapped back upon its release.

mal position, a rebound lever 59 is fulcrumed urged by a spring 60 to oppose itsopposite end to the movement of the ejector rearward of,

To attain this end and the subsequent return of the ejector to its proper nor- .on the underside of the platen with one end less than that of the spring 58,- is sufiicient,

under the normal tensions of these springs, to counteract the tendency of the spring 58 to move the ejector rearw ardly beyond the position in which it serves as a guide for thetoll sheet. If, however, the ejector is drawn backby the operator the increased tension of the spring 58 will retract the ejector with sufficient force to momentarily overcome the spring 60 when the ejector lever strikes the reboundlever, the impact serving to carry the:

ejector rearwardly a sufficient distance and at a sufiicient speed to causetheto'll' slip to be ejected from the platen and through the throat 52 to the hopper 51. 1 1

The operation of the mechanism is as fol-.;

lows

The platen being in its elevated position to hold the toll slip in place, the latter is posted and incidental line spacing operations are effected by the manipulation of the yoke 15. When the posting of the slip has been completed, the depression of the release key 21 will result in the retraction of the machine head to the rear end of the platen frame. By pressing down the treadle the platen will be lowered against the resistance of its elevating springs and the slip will be released from the clamp 35. If, now, the operator retracts the ejector, its release will result in its swift rearward movement to strike the front edge of the toll slip a sharp blow and cause the slip to be discharged into the hopper 51. While this action is taking place the operator places the next toll slip in the guide on the platen where it is held upon the elevation of the platen to normal position. The machine is now drawn forward to the printing position and the described operation repeated.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a flat platen typewriter, the combination with a flat platen, of a line space frame movable thereover, a carriage movable on the frame, and line spacing mechanism includ ing a yoke upstanding from the frame in rear of the carriage and extending from side to side of the frame.

2. The combination with a flat platen, of a line space frame, a frame retracting motor, line space mechanism carried by the frame, and including an upstanding manually operated yoke, a letter space carriage movable on the frame and line space release mechanism movable with the carriage.

3. The combination with a flat platen, of a line space frame, reactive frame retracting means, line space mechanism including a feed ratchet and dog and a manually operated yoke, means including a holding dog for holding the frame, a carriage movable on the frame, and releasing mechanism movable with the carriage, and operated to release the line space frame from the control of the line space and holding dogs.

4. The combination with a stationary support, of a line space frame geared thereto, frame retracting means, a feeding ratchet and a holding ratchet movable with the frame, a holding dog mounted on the frame to engage the holding ratchet, a swinging line space yoke carried by the frame and supporting the feeding dog, and means for moving both dogs out of engagement with the ratchet to facilitate free movement of the frame on the support.

5. The combination with a stationary support and a line space frame movable thereon, of holding and feeding ratchets, holding and feeding dogs co-acting with the ratchets, said holding dog being mounted on the frame, a swinging line space yoke on which the feeding dog is mounted, a release yoke mounted on the frame, a carriage mounted to travel on the frame, and means mounted on the carriage and engaging the release yoke to cause the same to move the holding and feeding dogs to inoperative positions.

6. The combination with a stationary support and a line space frame movable thereon, of a line space ratchet and a swinging line space yoke mounted on the frame, a line space pawl mounted on the yoke to engage the ratchet, a release yoke mounted on the frame and controlling the line space pawl, a letter space carriage mounted to travel on the line space carriage, and release yoke operating means, including a key movable with the carriage and in cooperative relation to the release yoke within the limits of the carriage travel.

7. The combination with a stationary support and a line space frame movable thereon,

of a carriage movable on the frame, means for retracting the frame, line spacing mechanism mounted in rear of the frame and including a line space yoke extended vertically to a position above the carriage, and line space release mechanism, including a line space re lease key on the carriage.

8. The combination with a flat platen, of a line space frame, line spacing mechanism including a feed ratchet and a dog and a manually operated yoke, a carriage movable on the frame, and mechanism operative to release the line space dog and including a swinging yoke movable with the frame, and yoke operating means movable with the carriage.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HARRY A. FOOTHORAP. 

